GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE ATP CHAMPIONSHIP

August 13, 1999

Tim Henman

Q. Your reaction about Steffi Graf retiring?

TIM HENMAN: First and foremost she had an amazing career - the success she has had - I was reading this morning she won 22 Slams, X number of weeks at No. 1, so, I don't think she could really ask for more. The only areas are injuries and she has been unfortunate, but one of the great careers, I think.

TIM HENMAN: Yeah, I think I would definitely take a lot of positives, the last couple of times I played Yevgeny he has been playing his very, very best tennis and he made life difficult for me today. Having said that, my game has definitely taken a big step this week. I was struggling to begin with before this tournament and, yeah, I think, if anything, I perhaps made a couple of unforced errors at the wrong times. But I am going to take a lot of positives to Washington and continue to build on it.

TIM HENMAN: I have been concentrating on my serve a lot this week and I haven't probably been serve and volleying as much as I can do, but no, I felt very comfortable from the baseline and in these conditions it was much windier today which didn't make life so easy. But, no, I think the bottom line is I lost to the better player on the day. I will continue in the next few days to practice and work on my game and feel like I am sort of back on track.

TIM HENMAN: I think matches is definitely part of it. You look at the way he has played in the last few weeks, made semis in Kitzbuhl, final last week, so he is really on a roll. So he is tough to play. But I feel much happier now and going to Washington in a very good state of mind; hopefully have another good week. I started the summer off very well last year and didn't finish it particularly well this year. Hopefully I would have changed it around.

TIM HENMAN: He is playing so consistently. He is moving the ball around very well from the baseline. He is sort of picking his spots and executing his groundstrokes, his returns and his passing shots well, so, for me, he was trying to get -- he is not giving me too many opportunities. A couple of times I attacked his second serve on some big points in the first set, he came up with great passing shots. I think he has got another very good chance this week.

TIM HENMAN: I'd still probably say Sampras, the way he is playing, he is the favorite. I think I will take pick Yevgeny to come through the bottom half. Having said, that he beat Agassi last week pretty convincingly, so he is going to be tough for somebody to beat.

TIM HENMAN: I think so. The whole scenario with him being No. 1 last time was a little unfortunate. It was the way the ranking worked, 52-week rollover period. But, yeah, no question the way he is playing now. He is right up there. So it is going to be interesting to see what happens in the remainder of matches.

TIM HENMAN: I think the only plus of not playing well in the first two weeks is that you will be fresher and I think the amount I played last year was probably quite excessive. So I think, in hindsight, I was probably in New York a little bit too early. I got there the Monday before and I practiced the whole week. So this time I will think do it a little bit differently, won't go there until Wednesday or Thursday. But I think, first and foremost, I am a better player than twelve months ago, so that is what I want to build on.